#oc/Kip Tracy

[katiedido2]

Trick or Treat! 🎃

Oh wow!

Thanks for the ask, @mrmustachious, and Happy Halloween!

I don't have anything specifically Halloween-related. But I do have a fluffy little short story with a witch and her favourite Tracy nephew.

Enjoy!

-o-o-o-

Young at Heart

Sitting at her desk, Selene typed up the notes from her concluded holo-tarot reading. She heard a soft scuffle outside her open door. No one was there, though she detected the faint scent of soap, sunshine and jam. Suppressing a smile, she reread what she had typed. She heard the scuffle again. Glancing up, she caught a large brown eye watching her between the door and the jamb. It was one of her favourite weeTracys!(™ pending). She again suppressed a smile. Satisfied with her notes, Selene saved the file and closed her laptop.

“Auntie Sele?” Her eldest nephew, Kip, poked his head around the door.

“Hi, sweet baby. Come on in.” Virgil’s five-year-old mini-me smiled, and he swiftly made his way to his aunt. “What’s up?” She hugged him.

He pulled back and frowned, making him look even more like his father. “Can I ask you a question?”

Amused, Selene tried to look equally serious and nodded. “Of course, little love. What is it?”

Kip glanced back at the door and leaned in close to Selene. “Are you a grown-up?”

Surprised, Selene sat back and regarded him. Slowly, she rose and crossed to the door. Looking out to ensure no one was nearby, she closed the door and returned to Kip. Kneeling beside him, she leaned in close and whispered, “No, I’m not. I’m still a kid, but no one knows.”

Kip's open face lit up. He grinned. “I KNEW IT!”

Gods, she loved this sweet little boy. “But this is our secret because the others can never know, okay?”

“Because they think you’re a grown-up and wouldn’t understand?”

“Exactly.”

“Cool!”

-o-o-o-

Two days later, Kip sidled up to Selene in the kitchen while she was finishing her breakfast. He kissed her on the cheek. “Good morning, Auntie Sele.”

“Good morning, Kip. How are you?”

“I’m okay. How are you?”

Selene smiled at his formality. “I’m good, thank you, sweetie. What’s up?”

He glanced around the room, checking that Uncle J at the sink couldn’t hear them. He casually leaned against the table, dropping his voice to a whisper. “Your secret is still safe with me.”

Selene leaned into the small child and bopped him gently on the nose. “I never doubted you for a second, sweetie.”

Kip smiled before turning serious. His dark brows knit together. “Does Uncle J know you’re still a kid?”

“He does because I trust him and know I can talk to him about anything.” She saw Kip look disappointed. “Married people don’t keep secrets like this from each other. Your parents don’t have secrets from each other.”

He considered this. “No, I ‘spose not.”

“But you two are the only ones who know.”

That restored the boy’s sunny disposition.

“Kip? Where are you?” Aunt and nephew saw his mother coming down the stairs. “Kip?”

“I’m here, Mum.”

Rebecca smiled at her son. “Grandpa and Alex are waiting in the hangers for you. Unless you don’t want to go with them to Christchurch….”

“Oh, right! I do! Bye, Aunie Sel, I gotta go!”

“Of course. Have fun!” Selene grinned and winked at him. Kip smiled in return and, putting a finger on his eyelid, closed one eye to mimic her wink before taking off to join his grandpa and brother.

Rebecca watched her son go. Tilting her head, she looked at Selene. “What was that about?”

Selene shrugged. “I’ve no idea. He’s a sweetie, isn’t he? Just like his dad.”

Rebecca nodded, hesitantly. “Hm. He reminds me of Scott.”

-o-o-o-

A week later, Kip returned from a walk with his Aunt Kayo and found Selene alone in the sunken lounge.

“Hi, Auntie Sele!”

“Hi, Kip! What have you got there?”

Kip bounded over and sat next to her on the couch. “I found this on our walk and thought you would like it.” He handed her a vaguely heart-shaped rock. He rested his head against her shoulder and sighed. “It’s not as pretty as your other rocks, but I thought you might like the shape.”

Pulling him into a hug, Selene kissed the top of his head. “I loved it! Thank you so much for thinking of me.”

Kip pushed away from her and looked around the room, ensuring they were alone. “Can I tell you a secret, Auntie Sele?”

Selene also looked about to ensure their privacy. “Of course. Always.”

The little boy leaned back into her. “Even when I get big like daddy, I’m gonna stay a kid like you.”

“You are?” He nodded. “Good. Well, I won’t tell anyone.”

“And I won’t tell anyone about you! Oh. There’s more.”

“Really?”

He nodded again. “I’m gonna fly Thunderbird One when I’m big. Oh, I know Daddy wants me to fly Two, but I really, really love Thunderbird One.” 

Selene hid a smile. This was hardly a secret. To his father’s consternation and his grandfather and uncles’ amusement, Kip had informed his family of his plans two years ago.

“An’ I’m gonna marry a witch jus’ like you.”

Selene’s jaw dropped slightly. “You are?”

Kip blinked. “Oh, I love Mummy, an’ she’s a fine mummy, but….” He glanced around to ensure they were still alone. “You’re more fun. When I’m big ‘nuf, will you help me find her like Uncle Jay found you?”

Momentarily gobsmacked, Selene stared at his earnest face and blinked back a surprised tear. “Oh... Oh, sweet boy, of course I will. When you’re big enough.”

“Thank you, Auntie Sele.” Kip crawled onto her lap and hugged her. “I love you...oh!” He jumped to his feet. “I almos’ forgot. I have to find Alex! I’m late to play! Byeee!”

“Bye.” Selene watched Kip run out of the lounge, searching for his mother and twin. There was a beep, and a hologram of John appeared.

“There you are; I was - hey, are you okay?”

Selene wiped away a tear and drew a shaky breath. “Yeah.”

“Are you sure? I can come down if you need me.”

“No, It’s not necessary.”

“Selene…”

“No, I’m fine, really.” She chuckled. “Though my heart was just mugged by a five-year-old.”

John regarded her for a moment. “Kip?”

Selene nodded. “Gods, he’s a love. He’s just like Virgil.”

John smirked. “I would argue he’s just like Scott. But what did he do? ‘Cause I don’t remember Virgil making grown women cry.”

“Hmm... Maybe he gets it from Rebecca.”

“Okaay, but what did he do?”

“He told me something lovely, which surprised me, that’s all.”

John looked closely at his wife. “You know, if things stay quiet, I’ll be down in an hour, and we can hang out.”

“I’d like that.”

-o-o-o-

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds 2015 #thunderbirds fanfiction #selene tempest #oc/Kip Tracy #john tracy #OC/Rebecca Montague #trick or treat

[gumnut-logic]

Gentle Rain (Part Ten)

Title: Gentle Rain

Warm Rain Series

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten

Author: Gumnut

30 Jan – 3 Feb 2019

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS

Rating: Teen

Summary: Sometimes it is so gentle, you don’t realise it is happening.

Word count: 2555

Spoilers & warnings: Virgil/Kayo, Scott/OC, spoilers for Warm Rain up to this point in the timeline.

Timeline: Six months after ‘The Proposal’, almost a sequel.

Author’s note: For @scribbles97 Well, anyone reading my Tumblr will know this part set me kicking and screaming and multiple headdesking. I got stuck and it wouldn’t write and I didn’t have a fun time. However last night I broke the first dam and this morning the second one kicked over and hooray, here be Part Ten. It should also be noted that somehow, Virgil is completely absent from this part. Please don’t hate me. This may have been why it was so hard to write - it may be my only fic bit without Virg ever. But he will be back, cos I have evil plans! Many thanks to both @scribbles97 and @the-lady-razorsharp for putting up with my extensive wailing and moaning and also for your wonderful support and help. And to all of you who have waited the extra few days while I kicked my brain into gear, thank you :D

Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

“So what are your intentions towards Scott Tracy?”

Em stopped in the middle of the path. “Excuse me?”

The blonde woman’s expression was mild, perhaps a little curious. “You are obviously attracted to him.”

“And that is your business, how?” Oh, god, he didn’t have a girlfriend, did he? Her heart sank. He obviously liked this woman, greeting her with warmth. But then, it had been Scott who had taken her hand and then there was Kayo. Em frowned. There was no way his sister would let her anywhere near her brother if that had been the case. “Who are you to Scott Tracy?”

That perfectly plucked eyebrow rose at her. “Nothing more than a concerned friend.”

“Who has what to be concerned about?”

“Ms Harris,” and the woman squared her stance with Em’s. “The Tracy brothers are a unique situation. Do you think you are up to the challenge?”

“It is Doctor Harris, and I don’t see anyone, much less a Tracy, as sport.” She spun on the spot and continued at a walking pace down to the edge of the cliff in front of the house. Hovering on the edge, she stared out to the ocean. It was still a stunning colour, its turquoise stained by the yellows shed by the sky. But her stomach was unsettled. What did this woman want from her? Was she being warned off? Was she a ‘friend’ who believed she owned more than she did? What did she want with Scott Tracy?

She turned the ‘scoot around slowly to face Penelope. “What do you want?”

The woman smiled. “Simply to ensure Scott’s safety.”

Em sighed, her shoulders dropping. “Then you’re failing miserably. The man nearly got himself killed a few weeks back.”

“Some things simply can’t be helped.”

“Really? Well, they should be. These men are not superhuman, yet they are attempting superhuman feats. Virgil and Gordon were nearly killed this morning.” She was still seeing that wave attempting to engulf Thunderbird Two.

The woman didn’t react. “It comes with the territory. The question is, are you prepared to deal with the situation.”

Em locked her gaze into those challenging blue eyes, advancing instinctively, her fingers twitching on the ‘scoot’s controls in her palms as she fisted her hands. “I have dealt with life and death my entire career, with no small amount of consideration for my own and my family’s. I can ‘deal’ with the situation, Penelope.” Screw the ‘Lady’ part of the equation, she wasn’t acting like one. “It doesn’t mean I have to accept it.” Her blood boiled. “As for my ‘intentions’ towards Scott Tracy. That is my business, his business and has zero to do with anyone else. Quite frankly, your ‘ladyship’, you can bugger off.”

Again with the delicate arched eyebrow. “I see.” Pressed lips. “There was no need to resort to profanity.”

“I will resort to whatever the hell I have to.”

“That is good to know.” And Penelope turned back towards the house. “Now come, my dear, we have a new guest to meet.” A sudden roar of jet engines and Tracy Two was once again on approach to the runway.

Em stumbled mentally. What?

A glance at the landing aircraft and another at the elegant woman walking back up the path. The hell? Was that a test?

She grit her teeth.

Turning back to the ocean, she forced herself to calm down. There was no way she was letting this woman get under her skin.

The waves lapped at the bottom of the cliff mocking her.

Too bad she already had.

-o-o-o-

Scott loved his grandmother. He admired her for her spirit, her strength and her character. But the woman knew how to curdle a grandson’s stomach, and not just with her cooking.

As they all entered the comms room, Sally was hanging off her guest’s arm like an escort girl off a playboy at a party, and grinning just as guilelessly. Not really the position of a respected elder. Fortunately, the man she was ogling had more than two cents between his ears and was treating her kindly, not a little smitten himself.

He better.

Scott was still unsure of what he thought about his grandmother’s relatively new relationship. She had expressed so much eagerness the first time she set eyes on the man. Virgil’s hero worship hadn’t helped.

Scott sighed. The man seemed genuine enough and kindly, but he set off Scott’s protective instincts, both on his grandmother’s behalf and oddly regarding Virgil as well. He swore Virgil regressed in age around the man. Even Kayo had commented on it. It was almost as if his brother had found his messiah or something.

It made Scott uncomfortable.

But the man checked out. Kayo and Penelope had reassured him of this on several fronts. He was an honest man and he appeared to have an honest fondness for his grandmother. He even treated Virgil like a tolerant grandfather.

Scott eyed Grandma still staring up into the man’s eyes.

It sounded primitive, but he better treat his family kindly otherwise he’d park Thunderbird One’s rockets on his head and torch him with her afterburners.

A gasp. “Uncle Crispin?”

The non-sequitur echoed through the room like a ricochet.

Kip Harris looked up in astonishment. “Emaline?”

Scott stared at Em who had just come up the stairs behind Penny. He turned back to Kip...Harris. “You have got to be kidding me.”

But the man’s eyes were only for Em, widening in horror. “My god, Emaline! What happened?”

-o-o-o-

Em stared at the only remaining member of her family. Her father’s brother. He was staring at her, shock in his eyes.

She became very conscious of being half the woman she used to be, of the Tracys in the room, of the eyes staring at her in surprise.

Penelope’s blue gaze.

Everything.

Oh god.

Something was stuck in her throat.

She wasn’t ready for this.

Her heart thudded in her chest and she suddenly couldn’t get enough air. She had to get out.

Now.

With the echo of a pair of worried blue eyes following her, she activated the ‘scoot, backed away, tore down the stairs and out onto the patio desperate to escape. There had to be a way...

There. She tore between the pam trees and out onto a path that led who knew where.

-o-o-o-

If Scott had been more mobile, he might have grabbed her before she could have run, but he wasn’t.

Instead, he turned to his grandmother’s boyfriend, eyes blazing. “What the hell was that?”

But the man seemed truly in shock. “When...how did she lose her legs?”

Scott blinked. “What?”

A hand landed on his arm. “Scott.” He looked up to find Penny standing beside him. “Follow her.” There was something in the woman’s eyes and her voice dropped to a whisper. “She’s dealing with more than you know.”

His eyes widened and worry set in. With a glance at his grandmother who was moving to console Kip, he tore out of the room as fast as Thunderbird imPatient could take him.

-o-o-o-

The path wound its way around the edge of the island and before she knew it, she was beside the island’s runway, its parade of palm trees waving in the wind.

Each breath had become a sob. A harsh indrawn gasp followed by an incoherent whimper. She...it just...oh god....she should never have come. What could they possibly be thinking of her? What could he be thinking?

And to run like that. What had happened to her spine? Where was her strength? Why was she sobbing instead of snarling?

She let the ‘scoot drift, not caring where it took her, and not surprised when it collided with a straggly bush beside the cliff overlooking the ocean. Her eyes caught the waves far below, but they blurred with unshed tears.

And she was crying.

All of it. The accident, Scott’s injuries, her injuries, the loss of her legs, becoming friends with legends, travelling to Tracy Island, Virgil’s injuries, the cyclone and Thunderbird Two, Scott, his kiss, his smile, his eyes, his voice...

“Em?”

Oh, god, no.

She hid her face in her hands, desperately attempting to straighten herself out. Fear, mortification, embarrassment.

There was a hand on her arm.

And he was turning her, drawing her to him, reaching up to pull her down to his height, his one arm as strong as it had been earlier in the day, his broken arm, flailing for grip.

And it was his broken arm that caused her to give in. She couldn’t have him doing himself anymore damage. She couldn’t.

Just couldn’t.

The ‘scoot dropped and he grabbed her. And she gave in, dropped her shields and let it all go.

Crying all over his shoulder, leaving tear stains on his shirt. But she couldn’t stop, it was just too much.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

He was saying something, but she couldn’t hear him over her sobbing. He was holding her tight.

She shouldn’t be doing this. She should be strong. Em Bloody Harris...oh, hell. Another rush of tears. God, what was he thinking of her?

He was stroking her hair, combing fingers through her curls.

It was strangely calming.

Soft.

And finally she could hear him. It was a mantra. “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay.” One for each stroke of his hand.

Like a heartbeat.

She focussed on it. He kept doing it.

Her breathing evened out. It was lulling and she was exhausted.

He kissed her hair and she let herself simply drift in his arms. Safe.

Time hung.

“Em?”

She blinked wet lashes, almost half asleep, and realised what she was doing.

Oh god.

She struggled to sit up, to regain a modicum of dignity, but he wouldn’t let her go.

“It’s okay. Stay there.” He had his fingers in her hair again, soothing. “It’s okay.”

Her heart twisted, but she was tired of fighting, tired of keeping it all together. She let a breath go and sagged into him. He held her tight.

“I think we need to talk.” His voice was quiet and undemanding. Her breath hitched a moment, but she knew he was right. She owed him an explanation.

But the words wouldn’t come.

“Did you lose your legs in Perth?”

Her breath caught in her throat and it came out parched. “Yes.” She was glad she couldn’t see his face.

His grip tightened on her arm. “Why didn’t you tell me? All this time..” He stopped talking and resumed stroking her hair. “What happened under that building?”

And still she couldn’t say it. She didn’t want him to know, yet she had screwed it all up royally. Hell, half his family knew already and it wouldn’t be fair to keep him in the dark. But still she couldn’t say it.

A sharp indrawn breath. “What did you do? You came to me. You helped me. What happened, Em?”

There was fear in his voice. “I didn’t want to tell you.” Her voice was faint. She could hardly hear herself. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“My fault? Hell, what did you do?”

She had to sit up. She had to look him in the eye. He deserved that much.

He let her go and she straightened, catching her first sight of his worried blue eyes. She swallowed and forced her voice to work. “You were bleeding badly, but I couldn’t reach you. I was pinned. I knew that if I didn’t help you, your chances were not good. So I...got myself out from under the rubble to reach you.” He was staring at her in horror. She panicked grabbing his arms. “I didn’t feel it. It didn’t hurt. I’ve been a paraplegic for over five years. So I haven’t really lost anything. They were useless anyway.” At least that is what she was going to tell herself for the rest of her life.

He was still staring at her, his gorgeous blue eyes still horrified. She hurried to continue. “It was my choice. You couldn’t die. You and your brothers have sacrificed so much. I couldn’t let you die.” She straightened, grasping for that spine she had, the one that actually worked when she wasn’t a sobbing mess. “It was my choice.”

Still he didn’t say anything. A swallow and his stare continued, but she could see his mind racing behind those eyes. What was he thinking? His lips parted, but still nothing came out.

And suddenly she was in his arms and he was crushing her to him.

She gasped, the hoverscoot slipping out from under her, only staying attached due to her harness. Her weight was all on him and she was suddenly aware of his pounding heart beating through his ribcage into hers.

But most of all she was aware that the bloody idiot was putting pressure on his injured ribs and abdomen and if she didn’t move, she was likely going to hurt him. But she couldn’t get purchase and he wouldn’t let go.

“Don’t you dare hurt yourself.” She said it muffled into his shoulder.

Still he said nothing, just clung to her. She couldn’t see his face. She had no idea what he was thinking.

“Scott?”

No answer.

“Scott?”

His shoulders straightened under her and he was letting her go. She could feel his shields going up and when she was finally able to get her ‘scoot back under her, he had regained his composure with the exception of a sparkle in his eyes. She swallowed. He had called on the commander of International Rescue.

She still had no idea what he was thinking.

Had she ruined everything?

He reached out and took her hand. “Thank you, Em.” He looked down at their hands, his head shaking slowly. “I don’t know how I can ever repay you for such a...sacrifice.” His voice broke on the last word.

She flared up. “You don’t owe me anything, Scott. It was my decision.”

“But-“

“No!” And now she was angry. “There is no debt. It was my choice, Scott Tracy, don’t you dare try to take that away from me.” Softer. “Please don’t let this come between us.”

Us. She shivered. Was there an ‘us’?

Something sparked in that blue. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “Us?” He smiled the most alluring smile he had deployed on her yet, his eyes peering up at her through his long, dark lashes.

“Oh, you shit.” She thwapped him on his shoulder, just as he grabbed for her again around her waist drawing her in, his smile becoming a grin as she squirmed.

And then they were nose to nose, his eyes were sparkling again and he was kissing her.

There was something there that wasn’t there before, something passionate, something urgent, he needed something and she had it.

She saw stars as he took her breath away.

When he finally let her go, her head was spinning and her body reacting. Bloody hell.

His hand cupped her cheek and her vision was full of those gorgeous blue eyes again. He kissed her gently once more. His voice was little more than breath. “Thank you, Em.”

Caught, her own voice as breathless as his, all she could say was, “You’re welcome.”

-o-o-o-

End Part Ten.

Part Eleven

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #scott tracy #grandma tracy #sally tracy #scott/em #scott/oc #warm rain #gentle rain #penelope creighton-ward

[gumnut-logic]

Gentle Rain (Part Eleven)

Title: Gentle Rain

Warm Rain Series

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven 

Author: Gumnut

3 – 7 Feb 2019

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS

Rating: Teen

Summary: Sometimes it is so gentle, you don’t realise it is happening.

Word count: 3218

Spoilers & warnings: Virgil/Kayo, Scott/OC, Gordon/Penelope, spoilers for Warm Rain up to this point in the timeline.

Timeline: Six months after ‘The Proposal’, almost a sequel.

Author’s note: For @scribbles97​ I have been staring at this forever. RL has been kicking my butt and I keep finding myself falling asleep while trying to write only having written a paragraph or two. So basically I’ve been staring at this for far too long. I hope you enjoy it anyway. Many thanks for all your wonderful support. This fandom and its fans are amazing.

Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

If it hadn’t been Christmas Eve, Kayo would have been inclined to stay in their rooms. She would have most definitely preferred Virgil to sleep as long as possible, and if he had stayed asleep, she would have left him there. But at seven in the evening, he woke foggy, realised what time it was and was adamant that they needed to make an appearance.

He still looked half dead, but admittedly that may have been something to do with the mess of hair on his head. He was also stiff as a board and was moving awkwardly, but his mood was cranky and he growled at her at least twice at the mere mention of anything related to his injury, so she left it. Perhaps Scott could kick his ass.

She followed Virgil down to the comms room, knowing his target was none other than the first coffee pot to cross his path. Stepping into the room, she caught the tail end of a question.

“...Why didn’t you call me?”

“Because you didn’t need to know. You’ve done far too much already.” Em paused. “And I wasn’t ready to tell you.”

The tableau leapt up and slammed into her retinas.

Kip Harris.

Damn.

She had been distracted. She hadn’t been able to warn Em. She knew about their relationship, of course, and had intended to take her aside and speak to her about it. Then Broome happened, and Virgil.

Damn. She was slipping up.

“Virgil?” Scott.

“Before anyone asks, I’m fine, I just need coffee.” And she watched as her fiancé scanned the room, looking for that fabled pot.

“Here you go, sir. Just as you like it.” Parker appeared as if from nowhere and Virgil pounced on the mug of liquid ecstasy in his hand.

Kayo turned away, refusing to be baited by her lover’s relationship with coffee.

Em was pale, sitting in her hoverscoot beside Scott. Her brother caught her eye and she was immediately pinned. Scott was not happy. No doubt there would be hell to pay later. The man hated not knowing and the Kip Harris and Em Harris surprise would have royally pissed him off.

“But tell me, honey, are you okay?” Kip’s attention was narrowed on his niece.

Em held up a hand. “I’m fine, Uncle. I promise. Scott has me well in hand.” She forced a smile.

“Oh, he does, does he?” That narrow beam of attention hit the eldest Tracy brother between the eyes.

“Yes, sir, I do.” And those blue eyes blazed back, defiant.

“You better, boy.”

“Uncle Crispin!”

“Kip, dear, put away your dynamite. Scott’s a Tracy. There are none more honourable. You should know that.” Her grandmother’s faith echoed around the sunken lounge.

Virgil, probably purposefully ignoring them all in favour of his coffee, groaned unconsciously as he folded himself onto one of the lounges beside Scott.

Immediately the older brother’s attention dropped Kip and narrowed on the younger pilot. “Virg, are you sure you’re okay?”

Virgil sighed as he leaned back, closing his eyes, coffee still in hand. “Give me a minute. I’m still fuelling.” He took another gulp of the very hot coffee and groaned obscenely.

“God, Virg, get a room.”

“Already got one, Gordon. Don’t like it? Find your own.” Another gulp and a sigh. “Parker, marry me.”

Kayo, sitting down beside him with her own cup of coffee, kicked his boot. “You are taken. Though that may change in the near future if you don’t stop making love to your mug.”

Gordon snorted his own drink and spluttered all over himself.

Virgil startled. Foggy brown eyes found hers and they were suddenly full of apology.

She frowned.

“Heard you had a bad one this morning.”

Virgil’s attention was immediately diverted, ever attentive to his hero. Kayo resisted rolling her eyes.

“Cyclone off Broome. Had a bit of trouble retrieving the module from the ocean surface.”

Kip was peering at him closely. “You’re lookin’ a little peaked there, son.”

Kayo eyed Virgil again. He was still a touch pale...

“I’m okay, Mr Harris.” Virgil took another gulp of coffee and hid behind his mug.

Em was eyeing her uncle and Virgil with a frown on her face, her eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.

“Virgil? Kayo? Could I speak with the two of you for a moment? In my office.” Scott’s expression was ominous. She vaguely wondered what his reaction would be if she said no.

But Virgil was moving, his body almost visibly creaking as he staggered up and off the lounge still clutching his coffee mug. God, she wished he could have stayed in bed.

Scott gripped Em’s hand. “I’ll only be a moment.” He directed his hoverchair up and out of the lounge circle, heading for the elevator. Virgil followed, his body loosening up as he gained momentum. Kayo fell in line at a more sedate pace.

The elevator ride was silent.

Scott was obviously beyond pissed. This wasn’t going to be fun.

And as soon as that office door was closed, she was proven right.

“Why the hell have you kept me in the dark?”

“What?” Virgil’s bewilderment was obvious.

“Did you know Em lost her legs in Perth?”

Virgil blinked. “Well, yeah, didn’t you?”

That brought Scott up short. “No. I did not.” A glare. “I didn’t even know she was a paraplegic.”

“Really?”

“I never met the woman until today! Do you have any idea how it felt to discover her injuries like that? I don’t think it is unreasonable that my brother and our security officer keep me up to date on important matters.”

“I thought you knew.” Virgil’s eyes were wide.

“Well, I didn’t! And this Kip Harris relationship was the icing on the cake.”

Her fiancé’s eyes widened even further. “What? She’s related to Kip?”

“Her uncle. You didn’t know that?”

“No, I didn’t know that! What am I? Your local fountain of information? I was asleep when Kip arrived, for goodness sake. I’ve said two words to the man.”

“Kayo knew, though, didn’t you.” It wasn’t a question as his accusing gaze landed on her.

“I knew. I was going to speak to Em, but I was otherwise detained. My apologies.”

“And when were you going to tell me?” Those blue eyes were accusing.

“I wasn’t. It is not my information to share. None of it affects or even relates to our operations. She checks out. Penelope double checked and agreed. Sighting her personal information does not give me the right to share it with all and sundry. If she had been a threat, Scott, of course, but she is not. She is simply a private individual who has been through no small amount of hell in her life and you should be respecting her privacy.” Her lips thinned as she glared at the man. “If you want to know more about Em, ask her.”

A large hand took hers and she turned to discover her favourite pair of brown eyes supporting her calmly. Kayo frowned, she felt oddly protective of Em. She could understand Scott’s anger, but she felt defensive as if the man was intruding. She adored her big brother, but the man could be an ass sometimes. A thumb caressed the back of her fingers.

Scott stared back and forth between them, his lips pursed.

“Scott, are you okay?” Virgil’s baritone was soft, his thumb didn’t stop moving.

Scott glared at his brother. “I’m fine.”

“Bullshit.” The expletive punctured the room. The hand in hers squeezed gently and let her go.

A brief flash of request in her direction from her lover, and she got the message. She didn’t even bother to say goodbye, simply slipping out of the room with a gentle smile at Virgil.

This was brother territory.

And besides, she needed to check on Em. Who knew what Scott had put her through with this.

-o-o-o-

The door shut behind Kay and Virgil felt the loss immediately.

“Where’s she going?”

“What? Did you want her to wait for a dismissal?” Virgil’s tone was sharp.

Scott’s brow crinkled. “What’s got into you?”

“You.”

“What? Why?”

“You tell me.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Preferably something about what the hell is going on with you.”

“I’m fine.” His brother turned towards his desk and to Virgil’s amazement, activated the holographic interface and started shuffling icons.

Virgil’s palm came down on the off switch with a sudden crack. “No.”

“What the hell?”

“Scott, you are my brother and I love you more than my life, but, god, you can be an ass.”

“Says the master of all asses.”

Virgil blinked, frowned, and bit his lip. “Uh, you want to try that again?”

Scott’s eyes were wide. “That so didn’t come out the way I expected.”

“I didn’t think so.” Virgil sighed. “C’mon, Scott, what’s bugging you?”

His brother sagged in his hoverchair. A frustrated sigh.

Virgil grabbed a chair and slapped it down beside his brother and took a seat...slowly. Goddamnit, he was getting sick of that ache. Now was not the time. A flinch at the wrong moment and his brother would be all over him.

This was about Scott, not about his injury.

“Is it Em?”

The flash of blue in his direction most certainly confirmed it, but his brother turned away again.

“Scott?”

Apparently, the far wall was extremely interesting. His voice was quiet. “I like her, Virg.”

Virgil couldn’t help but smile. “Well, that’s great, Scott.”

But the expression on his brother’s face was anything but happy as he turned to face Virgil. “We had some great conversations in the hospital. Her sense of humour...” Scott smiled, seeing something other than the room. “She has me laughing despite everything.” Thoughtful. “And she is strong. Oh god, is she strong.” But his eyes shuttered before turning to Virgil again. “Do you have any idea what it was like to meet her this morning, so happy to finally see her, only to discover how injured she is?”

Virgil frowned. “It doesn’t make her any less of a person, Scott.”

Blue eyes flared. “Of course not! It’s was just...it was like she was injured then and there in front of me. I had an...assumption...and fate may have taken her legs long ago, but at that moment, they were taken from me.” He looked away. “And god damn it hurt.”

Virgil shifted in his seat. “You more than like her, don’t you.”

Scott looked up at him, lips thinning, before looking away again and saying nothing.

He placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. The muscles under his fingers were strung like piano wire. “What else?”

The shoulder flexed. “She lost her legs because of me.”

A sigh. “She lost her legs because a building fell on her.”

“She did damage to herself to get to me.”

“She did what she had to do. It was not your fault.”

“How can you say that? I was supposed to save her.”

“But she saved you, and in the process had to make a shitty decision. But it was her decision. Don’t take that away from her.”

“Virgil-“

“Scott, do you blame Kayo for my injury? Do you blame her because I ripped open my ribcage saving her life?” He pinned his brother with his eyes.

“Of course not!”

“Then how can it possibly be your fault that Em lost her legs saving you?” A breath. “In fact, it was nobody’s fault, just shitty fate kicking our asses yet again.”

And there is was. Scott’s anger flaring up behind those blue eyes. But this anger was healthier than the despair that had leeched into his voice. This was determined anger, strong anger.

The anger that kept his brother going.

“Now, I don’t know about you, big brother, but I am starving.” He pushed himself out of the chair and held back yet another grimace as pain lanced up and down his side. Blue eyes frowned at him. “I am going downstairs and I am going to eat some of that delicious food John ordered.” He gripped his brother’s shoulder again. “And you are going down there to dazzle that lovely young woman with that weaponised smile of yours.” He grabbed his coffee cup off the edge of the desk. “There will also be more coffee. Definitely more coffee.”

“You are still an ass.”

Virgil snorted. “Yeah, but I’m good ass.” He smirked. “Just ask Kay.”

-o-o-o-

By the time Virgil and Scott re-joined the family downstairs, Grandma had laid out all the evening’s food.

And tied Alan to a chair to keep his fingers out of it.

“Aww, Grandma!”

“You will sit there, young man, and wait for your brothers. We have guests, where are your manners?” She was gazing up at Kip who had approached and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“They were eaten by the black hole where my stomach used to be.” Virgil, still unseen by his youngest brother, had to laugh at the expression on Alan’s face. A pout mixed with frustrated anger and longing for the food in front of him. “Where the hell are they?”

“Right here, little bro.” Virgil snorted at him and waltzed past to have at the food.

“Oi, young man.” He was thwapped by a delicate hand. “Guests first.”

“Yes, Grandma.”

Kay eventually rescued him, and Virgil was happy to see Em doing something similar for a blushing Scott. He eyed Kip and Em during the night as well, his artistic eye finally seeing just the touches of resemblance. There wasn’t much. Where Kip was dark, Em was pale. Where Kip was white haired, all trace of his original colour gone, Em’s hair was a cloud of wavy almost black hovering around her head. Em’s pale blue eyes couldn’t be further from Kip dark brown. Not to mention Em’s Australian accent going up against Kip’s American twang, there was no comparison. But there was something in their faces, just an echo of similarity, barely there that labelled them as family.

As the evening moved on, a comfortable swell of conversation bounced about the room. Kay kept him company all night. He suspected she was hovering over him regarding his injury, but he didn’t have the energy to challenge her, and besides, he loved her company regardless. Em stuck with Scott mostly, the chair-bound pair quite cute in their attachment. Further observation convinced Virgil that Scott was seriously attracted to this woman. He was attentive and smiled softly from time to time, something in his eyes. It got to the point that Virgil had to look away or embarrass himself. There was definitely something there.

He couldn’t help the warmth that welled inside at seeing his brother happy.

When Em wasn’t with Scott, she was with Kay. The two of them sat on a couch at one point chatting away quite happily.

Virgil couldn’t help but grin at that as well.

Gordon spoke often to Penelope. In fact, the aquanaut never seemed to be very far away from the blonde woman. It left Virgil wondering if he was missing something, but Penny didn’t seem to mind.

If he hadn’t gone outside for a fresh breath of air at around ten, he might have never ascertained what exactly was going on between those two. As it was, he was glad he couldn’t actually see them. Hearing them was intrusive enough.

“Pen, I...”

“Gordon, what exactly are you worried about?”

“I’m not worried.”

“You’re fidgeting.”

“I-“

“Gordon, I have been waiting for you to kiss me for over a year now. If you don’t action that want I’m going to- hmph.”

The sounds that followed didn’t need subtitles.

Virgil crept back inside.

Grandma, on the other hand, was anything but subtle. At one point she jumped on Kip’s lap and kissed him madly in full view of everyone. There were several good-natured groans.

John couldn’t help himself and kept the desk holographic interface running. Grandma coaxed him to the lounge conversation several times, but the man seemed chained to the desk and kept returning. He also appeared to be talking to someone...a lot. Virgil grew suspicious, but didn’t comment. He didn’t think Eos would cause quite that kind of smile on his brother’s face, but if it was someone else...well, Virgil could always third degree him later.

All in all, it was a pleasant evening. But as it wore on, he found himself flagging. Between the pain in his side and the strain of the day, despite his nap earlier, a comfortable conversation on the couch eventually drifted into sleep.

He woke to a not so gentle nudge from Kay. “C’mon, love, let’s get you to bed.”

He blinked, only half awake. His family was smiling and smirking at him. Damn. “I’m fine.” He struggled to straighten up. His side screeched at him and he groaned.

“Oh, for god’s sake, Virgil.” Her glare was ready to rip his face off.

“Okay, okay, I get the message.” A large hand, Kip’s? Was helping him off the lounge. “I’m going...going.”

Kay was there and they were leaving the room. “Merry Christmas everyone.” A range of well wishes and the elevator ate them.

Kay kissed him, her hand on his cheek. “You big idiot.”

“Wha-?” But he was really too tired to care.

They made it to their rooms. Clothes off, pyjama bottoms on. Bed.

He curled up beside Kay and let sleep take him.

-o-o-o-

The beep was soft, barely loud enough to hear, but it woke Kayo without a problem. It was designed to do that.

Beside her, Virgil slept on, the same beep equally designed not to wake him. In fact, he didn’t even know of its existence. Kayo planned to keep it that way.

Slipping out of bed, she padded barefoot out of the room and closed the door behind her. Secure in the knowledge of the room’s soundproofing she grabbed her comms and, keeping both her voice and the volume low, answered John’s summons.

The clock on the wall said 3.26am.

“Kayo?”

“This better not be a rescue, John.” The pause at the other end of the line confirmed her suspicions. “No, I’m sorry. He is not going out.”

“Kayo, you know I wouldn’t ask if I had a choice.”

“There is no choice involved. You can’t ask him this.”

“Honestly, I don’t want to, but his engineering knowledge and equipment is needed.”

“Send Brains.”

He fell silent.

“John, he is exhausted and in pain. He is not going.” Final word.

“Copy that.” The line went dead.

She sighed. Virgil would not be happy, but he would just have to live with it.

Better grumpy alive than happy dead.

She turned off her comms and threw the dress over the back of the lounge.

A drink of water and she killed the light, tiptoeing back into their room.

He was softly snoring.

Despite herself, her heart warmed at the sound. Drawn to him, she climbed back into bed and wrapped herself around him, her face buried in the back of his neck. He didn’t even stir. God, she loved him.

And be damned if she would let his job throw his life away

After all, it was hers.

-o-o-o-

End Part Eleven

Part Twelve

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #virgil tracy #virgil/kayo #kayo kyrano #scott tracy #scott/em #scott/oc #warm rain #gentle rain

[gumnut-logic]

Gentle Rain (Part Nineteen)

Title: Gentle Rain

Warm Rain Series

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve | Part Thirteen | Part Fourteen | Part Fifteen | Part Sixteen | Part Seventeen | Part Eighteen | Part Nineteen

Author: Gumnut

1 – 4 Mar 2019

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS

Rating: Teen

Summary: Sometimes it is so gentle, you don’t realise it is happening.

Word count: 3000

Spoilers & warnings: Virgil/Kayo, Scott/OC, Gordon/Penelope, spoilers for Warm Rain up to this point in the timeline.

Timeline: Six months after ‘The Proposal’, almost a sequel.

Author’s note: For @scribbles97 And here we are, the last chapter. There will be an Epilogue full of important stuff, I’ve started it. Also, those of you who follow me on Tumblr will have already read the first Tale of Gentle Rain – I kinda jumped the gun and didn’t want to officially publish it until I had finished this fic…which is pretty close now. So, there is more to come. Thank you ever so much to @scribbles97 who has helped me through this entire fic. Also thanks to @i-am-chidorixblossom and @the-lady-razorsharp who have also answered my frantic calls at various points in time – this fic was a nerve-wracker and I can be really insecure at times :D I would also like to give a massive thanks to all of you who have cheered me along the way. Your comments and feedback have kept me going. It makes it so much more purposeful to write if I know what I’m writing is being read and super bonus if it is being enjoyed. Thank you so, so much ::hugs you all madly::

Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

Waking in hospital was not her favourite. She had done it many times in her thirty years and none of those events had been pleasant.

She could smell the hospital around her.

A frown. Vague memories of faces, words, it seemed like dreams, all leading back to that man from International Rescue.

A pair of blue eyes.

Scott Tracy.

She woke with his name on her lips.

And he was the first thing she saw.

“Em?” His voice was soft, tentative, and the hope in his face so strong.

“Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” That smile of his still turned her insides to jelly. “How are you feeling?”

How was she feeling? A quick physical check and she found herself surprisingly good. “Good. I’m good.”

His smile widened.

A snuffled snort echoed through the room. She frowned. “What?”

Scott stepped back and she came eye to eye with Kayo sitting on a couch in the corner. The smirk on her face was amusing, particularly considering the man asleep in her lap. Virgil was snoring softly, curled up rather awkwardly on the too small sofa, still in his uniform. His baldric and toolkit were draped over the back of one of the chairs.

“Is he okay?”

Scott’s smile was reassuring. “He’s fine. Just tired. Stubborn idiot refused to go home.”

“Why?”

He frowned and she realised that he, too, was still in his uniform. “You don’t remember?”

Remember? A blink. “You caught me.”

“Yes, I did. But you were injured.”

Injured? Her brain didn’t seem to be functioning at full capacity. “How?”

His brow furrowed immediately. “You had a laceration on your leg. You lost a lot of blood.”

“I did?” She reached down and peered under the covers. Her left stump was swathed in bandages. Another frown and she forced her mind to think.

Scott speaking to her calmly, but firmly. Strapping her in. She had flown in a Thunderbird. Thunderbird One. Thunder was right. It had roared. So, so fast.

Then the hospital. Perth Hospital. Again.

Scott holding her. Her blood on his hands.

Worried blue eyes.

She shook herself. She must be on something. She was foggy.

“The bridge? The people?”

“We saved as many as we could.”

Virgil snorted again.

She frowned at the man as Kayo stroked his hair. A glance at Scott. “Why are you here?”

His eyes widened and his expression closed suddenly and considering their recent history she realised exactly how that might have sounded.

A blink. “No, you idiot. I’m talking about the broken arm, leg and ribs, not to mention the hole in your side that was stitched up a few weeks before Christmas.”

“Uh.” Now he looked uncomfortable, almost like a young boy who had just discovered he was in trouble.

Her foggy mind still wasn’t registering properly, but it still managed to calculate recovery times. She rubbed her eyes. “And what about Virgil? You know, the man who recently died.” In the corner of her eye she saw Kayo tense.

“It was necessary.” His stance straightened. “Besides, we had backup.”

“I noticed. But that didn’t seem to exclude either of you from the rescue.”

“There wasn’t time-“

“Exactly! You haven’t given either of yourselves enough time!”

Those blue eyes flared. “And what exactly did you expect me to do? Sit back while you fell off a bridge?”

And there it was, the blatant self-sacrifice that was going to kill these men. “You had back up! Let them do their job. Stop risking yourself.”

“I couldn’t leave you there.” It was quiet, but the words were firm.

She stared at him. “Your health is worth the risk, Scott.”

“Yours isn’t.” He glared at her. “I will not risk you.”

“Me? What about the other hundred or so people?”

His lips shut closed and he didn’t answer. Blue simply stared at her.

Her eyes widened. “You didn’t...”

“How could I not?” And suddenly he was so much closer.

“Oh, for goodness sake, kiss her already!” There was a thump and a groan, and they both looked up to see Virgil rolling off the couch. The man was obviously stiff as a board. “Have at it, I’m getting coffee.” And without a glance at them, he stumbled from the room, dragging Kayo with him. Kayo did grin back at both of them, however, her eyes sparkling.

Em frowned. “Are you sure he’s okay?”

Scott smiled. Oh god, that smile. “I thought you’d be familiar with Virgil Sans Coffee by now.” But he was leaning in and that smile touched her lips. As always, he was warm, his energy burning, reaching out and drawing her in. A brush of his tongue on hers and he released her. She didn’t want to let him go.

His smile became hesitant. “I believe I owe you an explanation.”

“Regarding your habit of flashing hot and cold?” God, honestly, she only wanted him to kiss her again. His hot was so hot. Screw it. “I’ve just had a major traumatic incident. I’m injured, and I’m pretty sure I’m high on pain meds. Can we save it for later? I’d really just like to you to kiss me again.”

His grin was as gorgeous as his smile, and god, when he wrapped his arms around her and took her lips with his, all the cares in the world could wait until later.

-o-o-o-

Em was only in the hospital for a few days, but in that time, she managed to have every Tracy march through her door plus Kayo and her uncle.

Uncle Crispin arrived with Sally Tracy along with Alan. Alan was looking a little green around the gills and the description he gave Kayo of what her uncle and his grandmother had been doing on the plane was enough to turn Em a little green in sympathy.

There were some things that you just didn’t want to know about the generations above you.

Uncle Crispin gave her the third degree on what had happened. This was quickly followed by him cornering Scott the moment he walked through her door on the way back from a meeting with the GDF.

“And what are your intentions with my niece, Tracy?”

“Kip!”

“Uncle Crispin!”

It was hard to tell who was more offended, Mrs Tracy or Em.

But Scott didn’t back down. He took a step towards her uncle and looked him in the eye. And he could. Not having seen Scott standing to his full height, Em hadn’t realised he was that tall. Though slimmer in youth, he could match every one of her uncle’s many inches. Wow. “And what are your intentions with my Grandmother?”

“Scott!” Okay, Mrs Tracy was the more offended.

Em glared at the both of them. “If you two gentlemen do not stop alpha strutting in my hospital room, I will ask both of you to leave.”

Scott’s response was immediate, probably feeling like he was already on probation and didn’t want to blow it. He backed down, but she didn’t fail to notice that he stepped immediately to her side. She rolled her eyes at that.

Uncle Crispin glared at him, but also backed off, stepping back beside Mrs Tracy.

“Now, Uncle Crispin, this is my business. While I appreciate your protectiveness, I find it rather ironic that you are attempting to protect me from the grandson of your paramour, and the leader of International Rescue, an organisation you greatly admire. You have a model Thunderbird and figurines, for crying out loud.” She turned to Scott, whose eyes were bugging out a little at her last statement. “And you, give your grandmother a break. Uncle Crispin is a great guy, I can promise you that. Stop snarling at him.”

Neither man commented, merely exchanging wary glances. God, men!

The tableau was interrupted by Virgil waltzing in with a get-well balloon tied to a blue teddy bear. Every face in the room turned to him. He stopped in his tracks and blinked. “Did I interrupt something?”

Em couldn’t help but smile. “No, nothing of importance.”

His eyes darted back and forth between his eldest brother, Uncle Crispin, Em and Kayo. “Okay, good, because Scott bought you a get-well bear.” He strode up and plonked it on the edge of her bed.

“I did?”

Kayo elbowed her brother. “Yes, you did, because that is what good boyfriends do when their girlfriends are in the hospital.”

There was a silence for a moment and Em stared at Virgil. The engineer smiled at her.

“Yes. Yes, I did and I do.” Scott said the words, but looked a little stunned.

Em bit her lip, but couldn’t help grinning at his expression. She picked up the bear. It had blue eyes and a perpetual smile. Reaching out a hand, she snagged Scott’s and pulled him towards her. “Thank you, Scott. It was a very kind thought.” And she was grinning up at him.

He rolled his eyes. “You’re welcome.”

“Can I give you a thank you kiss?”

She couldn’t help but grin at the grin that immediately split his face. He bent down and, oh, oh, thank you. Thank you, indeed.

The bear was dropped to the bed covers and one hand was in his hair, the other on his shoulder feeling the flex of muscle through his shirt.

“My god, I’m surrounded by a bunch of lovebirds. Okay, that’s it, I’m making a point of being somewhere else for some time. Em, get better soon. Enjoy...my brother.”

Scott broke off their kiss just in time for her to see Alan shudder. Mrs Tracy grabbed the youngest before he could escape and said something quietly to him Em couldn’t hear before kissing his cheek. Alan rolled his eyes and stomped out of the room.

Em had a grip on Scott’s shirt and didn’t want to let go. Virgil was grinning ear to ear. Kayo had a smirk on her face. Mrs Tracy was smiling. Uncle Crispin, surprisingly, wasn’t glaring, but was thoughtful instead.

Scott was staring down at her in amazement.

She grinned. “Can I say thank you again?”

Virgil cracked up laughing.

-o-o-o-

Escaping from hospital did not equate to escaping from the Tracys. Kayo, despite being heavily involved into the investigation surrounding the bridge bombing, found the time to accompany her back to her apartment. Virgil had declared her hoverscoot deceased and promptly acquired her a new one. Her protest at the cost was met with a flat-eyed stare, and yeah, billionaires, money no object, yada-yada-yada.

It was a relief to slip back into a hoverscoot. The hoverchair from the hospital was just clunky and cumbersome.

While Virgil packed the car, she took the opportunity to sit down with Kayo for a moment in her own loungeroom. “I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I can’t believe...” And she ran out of words.

“Em...” Kayo held up her hand. “Trust me, we are equal on all scores.” Virgil stuck his head in the door and grabbed two more of the small bags she had hastily packed and disappeared again. Kayo smiled just a little, her voice quiet as she stared after him. “We’re equal.”

“If there is ever anything I can do for either of you. Just ask.” She reached out and grabbed the woman’s hand. “Please.” She tried her best to covey how much it all meant to her.

Kayo turned to her and tilted her head a little. “If you do the same.” A small smile. “I hear rumour that is what friends do.”

Em couldn’t help but grin just a little. She felt like a teenager swapping friendship bracelets. The thought was just ridiculous.

But it meant so much more.

“Oh, I’ve got something for you.” Kayo reached into her pocket. “You should keep this on you at all times until Brains can set you up with something a little less conspicuous.” The security officer handed her the IR comm she had worn in New Zealand.

Em stared at it. “Are you sure?”

Kayo arched an eyebrow. “I’m sure.”

Em held it in her hands, the embossed IR logo catching the light. “That is something I’ve been meaning to ask. I left this behind in Wellington. How did you know I was on the bridge?”

“I planted a tracker in your hoverscoot.” There was no apology in Kayo’s expression.

Em stared at her. “What?”

“You became an IR concern. I needed to know where you were.”

“Why?”

“We are primarily a rescue organisation. However, our technologies are advanced and there are people out there who will do anything to get their hands on them. You know this, it has already affected your life drastically.”

“You think they might use me to get to you?”

Kayo shrugged. “Maybe. Possibly. There are a range of vulnerabilities in the equation. The tracker was to protect you and IR. In this case, we knew you were on the bridge and could act accordingly.”

“Is that what happened? Were they after me?” Her heart stuttered at the thought. To be honest, she had already considered some of the dangers involved. It was obvious. She had lost her family to a man who had wanted what the Tracys had.

Something flashed in Kayo’s eyes.

“No, a group has claimed responsibility. Lunatics. Don’t worry. Penelope and I are working on it. We’ll find them.” And Kayo stopped there, obviously unwilling to reveal anymore.

Her apartment door opened again and Virgil walked back in. “Anything else? I think I’ve about covered my rehab for today.”

Em mentally shook herself and smiled.

-o-o-o-

The stop at her apartment was exactly that, just a stop. She needed assistance and the doctors had only released her with the reassurance that she would have company.

So, bags packed and loaded, Kayo flew her back to Tracy Island, and she found herself in the same room she had spent Christmas. Cecil arrived to attend to her every need. The man was a like a clone of Gordon Tracy, though taller and skinnier. A ray of sunshine who never stopped smiling.

Scott bounced back and forth from the island every day, horribly busy, both with the GDF and the Thunderchick squads. Then a tsunami in Japan took every hand IR had available.

All the brothers came back from that pale and dead-eyed.

She caught him before he could escape to his room.

Even though she was prepared for it, it still hurt when he brushed her off. “Em, I’m tired. It’s been a long day. You should be resting.” His natural reflex was to lock it all up and process it alone, the same way he had when Virgil collapsed.

She hadn’t missed Virgil beelining to Kayo. Hadn’t missed her wrapping her arms around him, his head dropping to her shoulder in pure exhaustion. Her leading him away to their quarters.

Scott had glanced at them while removing his baldric and dumping it on the couch before throwing himself down beside it.

She steeled herself. “I’m fine. It is you who needs the rest.”

He looked up at her and the exhaustion and pain in his eyes broke her heart. Reaching out, she ‘scooted forward, dropping the ‘scoot directly onto the couch and took him into her arms, lying his head on her chest.

He resisted at first, his muscles tense, and she was forced to wonder how long it had been since this man had been comforted. She knew a good percentage of his history, had seen the care he doled out to his family, but who cared for the carer? Virgil, most certainly, but he would ever be younger.

Em would ever be older.

She pulled him tighter, running her fingers through his hair, and slowly his arms crept around her and returned the embrace. He didn’t fully relax, no doubt that would take time, but his breathing evened out and he rested his weight on her.

“I love you.” The words came out unbidden. She didn’t mean to say it, but it was said.

His reaction was immediate. He sat up, pulling away a little and staring at her.

Em felt the blood drain from her face. “I’m sorry, I-“

And he was kissing her, his strength pulling her close. His tongue begged entry and she let him in, as he crushed her against him. His cologne was overlaid with sweat and dirt, he desperately needed a shower and a shave, but he was in her arms and loving her in his own way.

She didn’t expect the words, not yet. If there was one thing she had learnt over the last few months, it was that Scott Tracy had a large family, but ultimately, he had been alone for a long time. As alone as she had been.

It was going to take time.

The kiss broke off, his breathing heavy, eyes glistening in the evening light. “Em...”

She reached up and placed a finger across his lips. “You don’t have to say anything.” He kissed her finger, his breath hot on her skin. “I will only ask you for one thing.”

His eyes widened in an expression very similar to the last time she had made such a demand of him.

“Ping me. Come to me. Seek me out.” Her fingers drifted into his hair and she leant forward to kiss his forehead. “I’m here. You are not alone. You don’t have to say anything, I won’t force you to talk, I promise. Just be...with me.”

It was all she could ask.

He stared at her for a moment, words bouncing about his eyes, but none finding his mouth. Eventually he drew her into his embrace, a soft kiss to her jaw, her cheek and her lips. There was no smile, no charm, no Commander of International Rescue, no big brother.

Just Scott Tracy.

He dropped his head to her shoulder, exhaustion in every line of his body. Em stroked his hair and just held on.

-o-o-o-

FIN.

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #virgil tracy #scott tracy #kayo kyrano #em harris #virgil/kayo #scott/em #scott/oc #warm rain #gentle rain

[gumnut-logic]

Gentle Rain (Part Twelve)

Title: Gentle Rain

Warm Rain Series

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve 

Author: Gumnut

8 – 9 Feb 2019

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS

Rating: Teen

Summary: Sometimes it is so gentle, you don’t realise it is happening.

Word count: 3614

Spoilers & warnings: Virgil/Kayo, Scott/OC, Gordon/Penelope, spoilers for Warm Rain up to this point in the timeline. Possible trigger warning for tall building fires.

Timeline: Six months after ‘The Proposal’, almost a sequel.

Author’s note: For @scribbles97   It is amazing what a day off work can do :D We’re out of Christmas Eve and things are moving. Many thanks again to @scribbles97  for some extensive help on this. I hope you all enjoy it :D

Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

“You did what?!”

Em entered the comms room and immediately wished she hadn’t.

Virgil stood glaring at John, tension in every line of his body. Only the two of them were in the room, both looked tired, John worried and Virgil absolutely furious. She would never have thought the man could possibly be that angry, he seemed so calm and gentle.

“I sent Brains.”

“Why the hell did you do that?! Why wasn’t I called?”

John stepped forward. “Because you aren’t well. Even I can see the pain you are in. Right now, in fact.”

Virgil flared even more. “And that saved who how? Now I have to go out and save Brains!”

John looked uncomfortable.

The sun was barely over the horizon. Em was only half awake, hovering just outside the elevator where the two men couldn’t see her. She desperately needed to examine Virgil, he was clearly in pain, but she was hesitant to interrupt their argument. Perhaps she should wake Scott?

“We will discuss this later.” Virgil’s baritone had dropped to a threat. The man turned and strode across the room in her direction. She slipped further into the shadows, but he approached the wall beside the portraits. Turning around, he reached up and grabbed onto two light fixtures. She heard him mutter something about having to fly the tin can and then the wall ate him. A rumble of machinery echoed through the panelling.

She blinked.

“Doctor Harris?”

Okay, that made her jump and not a little guilty. John was looking in her direction, so she slipped out of hiding and ‘scooted into the room. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude.”

John sighed. “You didn’t. Please excuse Virgil, he is not really approachable before his morning coffee.”

“Where is he going?”

Another sigh. “There was an incident in a Brazilian skyscraper early this morning. A fire. Thunderbird Two attended with Alan and Gordon along with Brains for engineering advice.” What? She’d slept through that? John must have read her expression. “The villa is well soundproofed for most of our launches. Only one really disturbs the main house enough to wake those deeply asleep.”

As if in demonstration, the glass doors onto the balcony clicked and began to close. John smiled just a little. “You might like to watch this.” He led her to the edge of the room where she could see the pool just beyond the balcony. Using her ‘scoot to her own advantage, she raised herself up higher for a better view.

The pool was moving, retracting into the house, a gaping hole left in its wake.

“There is only one thing Virgil hates more than early mornings.” Beneath her feet the building made an odd clunk sound as the pool fully retracted. “And that is piloting Thunderbird One.”

Something exploded beneath them. The whole house shook in its foundations and to her astonishment, the famed rocket plane of International Rescue burst forth from where the pool used to be, a blur of red, grey, blue and white alphabet tore vertically into the sky.

Her jaw was on the floor.

“That’s Scott’s Thunderbird?” She could barely hear the roar anymore, much less see the craft. It was gone.

“Yes, it is.” But it wasn’t John who answered.

She spun herself around to find a dishevelled Scott darting across the room. He had obviously dragged himself out of bed in a hurry. He was still in his pyjamas and his hair was skew-whiff. His broken leg wasn’t quite on the chair support properly. She headed towards him. “Hey.”

But his eyes were for John. “What is going on?” As he fell in beside her, his hand reached out and caught hers. She couldn’t help the tiniest of smiles. She had never had her hand held so much in her life. He seemed to have this urge to be continually connected to her.

She didn’t mind in the slightest.

“Thunderbird Two called for assistance in a skyscraper fire in Brazil. Apparently, the building partly collapsed, trapping Brains. Alan managed to jump clear. They need Virgil and his exo-suit.”

Em’s eyes widened. “You’re going to let him strap on that metal skeleton in his condition?!”

Two pairs of Tracy eyes pinned her. The hand in hers twitched and tightened. “What condition?”

Okay, she was a doctor and these things were obvious to her, but how could they not have seen the man grimace every time he moved? “Surely you can see the man is in pain.” One of the reasons she was up so early herself was so she could grab the second eldest Tracy before he ran off, but obviously she hadn’t been early enough.

“John, where have you sent him?!” Kayo was fury incarnate as she strode into the room, Grandma and Kip in her wake.

John stiffened. “I had no choice, Kayo. Brains is trapped. Who else could I send?”

That halted her pending tirade. Em watched fear flicker across her friend’s face before it was controlled. “Prep Thunderbird Shadow. I’m going out to assist.” She turned on her heel, strode over to the circular lounge and sat down in one of the paired chairs.

Yet another clunk of machinery and both Kayo and the chairs disappeared into the floor. Moments later an empty copy of the chairs replaced them.

Em blinked.

That was unexpected. She looked around the room at the other various pieces of furniture and wondered what else moved in ways unusual.

Scott’s hand was still in hers.

“Em, what is Virgil’s condition?” His voice was quiet, concerned, with just a touch of fear.

“I don’t know. I haven’t had a chance to examine him properly yet. It could just be scar pain, I think in any case that is a good part of it. What little I have seen tells me we need to work on some remedy for that, but...damn, I should have grabbed him last night.”

His hand squeezed hers. “He was given the option.”

She turned to him. “Yes, but I could have pushed the matter. He’s not the first reluctant patient I’ve come across. Though he may be one of the most important.”

Scott shot her a look. She could feel his eyes on her face, but she turned away. Perhaps she shouldn’t have said that, but it was said anyway. He could interpret it as he pleased.

Somewhere above them, more rocket engines fired and the island echoed a clunk of release. The ghost Thunderbird fell into view over the ocean, exhaust flaming, and tore off into the west.

“Good morning and Merry Christmas to you all.” Penny slipped elegantly into the room.

Em did her best not to glare at her.

Merry Christmas indeed.

-o-o-o-

Virgil Tracy hated flying Thunderbird One. She was as touchy as a flighty deer and responded to everything. Thunderbird Two made her presence known. She withstood the elements and made them do as she pleased. TB1 was slave to every air current, every downdraft, every touch of turbulence. It gave her the needed agility, the flexibility to spin in the air at speeds TB2 couldn’t dream of, but she was an ass to fly.

Scott was a hot shot pilot and he loved her responsiveness and equally derided TB2’s solidity and reliability.

But at least Thunderbird Two wouldn’t accidentally fly into a mountain if the pilot got distracted.

Virgil wasn’t really in the mood for wrestling with the Thunderbird. It made his side ache even more.

All she had to do was get him to Brazil, and Alan could fly her back.

Why didn’t John wake him? Brains was a brilliant engineer, but his onsite skillset was lacking, particularly for this kind of fire. And who the hell had let him off Thunderbird Two in first place?

Save first, kill brothers later.

The fire was obvious from miles off. Thick columns of smoke reached for the sky creating their own cloud cover.

Damn, it was a bad one.

On approach, he mentally ran through his plan of attack using the information his eyes and TB1 could give him. John had packaged everything they knew and sent it onto him mid-flight. There was some suspicious insulation used in the building. He flung up a hologram of the skyscraper’s structure.

Damn, when were they going to stop using that cross bar support design. It made the structure vulnerable to capsule collapse. particularly in hot fires. And this was a hot one.

Thunderbird Two was hovering near an exact example of why that design should never be used again, one section of the building had crumpled under the strain, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the structure, and, in turn, leaving the entire building prone to total collapse.

Goddamnit!

“Hey, Virg, thanks for dropping by.” Gordon’s flippancy was forced.

“I’m coming down. Slave TB1.”

The controls immediately shifted to the blue of auto.

A zip line, the open hatchway of his beloved ‘bird, the thump of his boots on her deck plates.

“Situation.”

Gordon was at her controls, the harmonics of her fire dampening systems resuming now he was aboard. Flame flickered and died. “Alan and Brains went in to rescue a trapped family. We got them out, but the whole section collapsed before Brains could get free. No space for a pod, we need your exo-suit.”

“FAB.” As expected, situation unchanged. He slipped through the cockpit access door, heading for the module. “Oh, and Thunderbird Shadow is on approach.”

He didn’t have time to react to that.

Slipping on the fire version of his exo-suit took a few moments longer than his regular setup. Was it logical to miss his baldric? The retardant suit fit him snug and the thick material actually provided a little support to his aching side.

He needed to get this job done as fast as possible. Then perhaps he should ask Em to look at him. It was getting worse.

Returning to the cockpit, he took up his place on the hatchway again. “Okay, Gordon, get as close as you can and lower me down.” He secured a line to the hatch as his brother lowered it. Winds, no doubt hot, buffeted at him.

He aimed the zip line and fired. Sensors confirmed a strong connection and he clipped in the d-ring of his harness. Moments of blur and he was surrounded by flame, smoke and general hell.

“Alan, give me your location.”

Data fed to his systems, complete with a tracker to follow. “Great to have you here, Virgil.” There was fear in his little brother’s voice.

“We’ll get him out.” His thermal readout screamed at him. “Fast.”

Virgil ran.

-o-o-o-

Alan Tracy was a highly experienced rescue operative. In his twenty-one years, he had saved hundreds of people. But he had his specialities, space rescue being one of them, as did all of his brothers.

Fire rescue was one he dreaded.

Perhaps it was because of that space speciality that drove it home. Fire in space was a horror. Fire on Earth, well, it wasn’t much better.

So, it was with no lack of relief that he looked up to see his second eldest brother, exo-suit geared up, emerge from the all-encompassing smoke.

“Detail.” Virgil’s tone was sharp and no nonsense.

“Brains is responsive, but unable to free himself just beyond this door.”

Virgil looked up, his eyes assessing the structure. “Gordon, give me a stress readout. Pin lines and supports on this floor.”

Numbers passed over the airwaves.

“Alan, step back.”

He didn’t have to ask twice.

To Alan’s surprise, Virgil didn’t lift the fallen masonry. He simply went through the wall.

The bright red laser beam cut smoothly through concrete and steel alike. His massive primary claw finished the job.

“Alan, you’re on retrieval. Make it fast. This section is unstable.”

He darted into the room, his helmet lamp bouncing through the smoke. “Brains!”

“I’m h-here. My ankle.”

His light hit a shadowy figure on the floor. “We need to move.”

“RAD.”

Alan didn’t have time to roll his eyes. Reaching down, he lobbed the engineer into a half carry.

“Move it, Alan! It’s coming down!”

And the world rumbled. The half carry became a fireman’s carry as Alan threw Brains over his shoulders and ran.

Concrete dust. The groan of straining steel. His brother yelling at him to move. That claw came out of nowhere and deflected an airborne chunk of building. Virgil grunted over comms and then swore a blue streak.

“This way!” And there was a stairwell. Behind them the world crumbled. “Move!” The stairs were shaking.

Smoke and sudden flame. A gaping hole in the floor.

“Gordon, I need a zip line retrieval, 129th floor, east wall. Suppress what you can.”

“FAB.”

And there was a view to the outside. Virgil’s laser lit up red again, the reinforced glazing melting before their eyes. That claw and the smash of breaking glass.

The roar of VTOL, quickly followed by those familiar fire breaking harmonics and the green body of Thunderbird Two hovered into view.

“Stand back. Deploying zip line.”

As Alan moved, the whistle of a grapple through the opening in the glass, thunked into the concrete  floor. Virgil checked it was secure.

Their world rumbled in warning.

“You’re first, Brains. Alan, you follow.”

“FAB.”

He secured Brains to the line and quickly followed, prepared to stabilise the other man at the end to prevent further damage to his ankle.

It was wonderful to be free of the building.

As his feet hit the deck plating of TB2’s hatch, the zip line wobbled. “Virgil?”

“This section is going. Gordon, be ready to move!”

“Alan, hang on!” Gordon yelled into the comms.

And to his horror, the side of the building Virgil was standing in, collapsed like a landslide. Concrete, steel and burning insulation sliding down the side of the skyscraper in a terrifying roar of finality.

-o-o-o-

“Virgil!”

For a split second, Kayo’s heart froze, caught between beats and two futures. One desperate and filled with tears.

But then the zip line attached to Thunderbird Two ripped free of the tumbling rubble, a suited figure dangling from its end.

Oh god.

“Virgil! Speak to me.”

“Kay?” His voice was breathless. “Need a hand.”

He was swinging in the breeze, obviously tangled in the line. “Are you secure?” She was moving without an answer.

“Uh, define secure?”

Damn him.

Thunderbird Shadow spun on her axis and dove down beneath her sister and gently rose below her lover. “Gordon, keep her steady.”

“Kayo, I am so not moving.” There was fear in her brother’s voice.

The clatter of Virgil’s boots on Shadow’s fuselage shoved her heart into her throat.

“Thanks, Kay.” Still breathless. Scratches and movement. “Separated and secure. I’m in your hands.”

Did he have to sound so happy?

“Gordon, rendezvous here.” She sent him the coordinates of a local football field. The order left no room for discussion.

“FAB.”

Ever so slowly, ever so aware of her precious cargo, Kayo turned her bird towards the nearby sports arena.

-o-o-o-

Virgil took the moment of riding on the back of his lover’s ‘bird to attempt to lower his heart rate. That had been close. The floor collapsing beneath him, his mad scramble to connect with the zip line, concrete catching him on the back of his suit, spinning him around, a tangle of limbs, line and the plummet below.

The flashback of mountain scape and a thousand foot drop.

The world tumbling.

Kay’s voice.

His beautiful Kay.

Shadow shifted beneath him, her VTOL firing as she came in smoothly to land.  Gordon had both his ‘bird and TB1 following in. A rush of wind and International Rescue landed as one.

The cockpit in front of him was flung open immediately. He smiled as Kay leapt up and climbed over the back of her ‘bird towards him.

He struggled to his feet, hydraulics hissing. “I’m okay, Kay.”

She didn’t answer, her hands moving to his helmet release. The rush of fresh air tainted by smoke and her gloved hands on his jaw. Green eyes staring up at him, desperate for reassurance.

He slid his left arm from the suit and reaching up, slipped her helmet off, bent down and kissed her softly. “I’m fine. Thank you for the rescue.” His voice was a touch hoarse, his lungs still grabbing for air.

Her hands tightened on his shoulders. “You better be.”

“You okay, Virg?” Gordon appeared beside Shadow, worry etched into his features.

Slipping his arm back into the suit, he turned and unclipping his harness, leapt off Shadow and landed with a grunt beside his brother. Pain lanced up and down his side and he stumbled. For a moment, he couldn’t catch his breath, spots danced in his vision. God.

“Virgil?”

He gasped and blessed oxygen hit his system. Panting. “I’m good. I’m good.”

“You don’t look good.”

“Give me a minute.” His heart was doing its best to catch up, thudding madly in his chest. Okay, he definitely needed to speak to Em.

In the distance, the skyscraper continued to burn.

Forcing himself, he straightened up. “We need to finish this job.”

Gordon was staring at him, worry in his eyes. “You sure you’re up to this?”

He looked down at the aquanaut. “I have to be.”

His brother’s eyes didn’t agree, but he didn’t voice it.

Virgil jabbed his comms. “Alan, secure Brains if you haven’t already. You’ve got Thunderbird One. I’ll take Two.” He lifted up one arm and activated his holographic interface. A skeletal view of the building appeared. “Now the building is fully evacuated - good job with that by the way - we will use a combination of spike deployed firebots and suppressant grenades. TB2’s harmonics will take out any surface flares. Kay, you’re on spot to the east. Alan, you’re spot to the west. Gordon, you’re onsite spot when we start deployment. Kay, please advise the authorities to stand clear.”

“FAB.” Alan’s answer was sharp and precise. A moment later, his brother was running across the field to Thunderbird One.

As far as Virgil was concerned, he was welcome to it.

His suit hummed as he strode towards his own ‘bird.

A pair of hands caught his arm and he turned. Kay was frowning at him. “Virgil...” She obviously wanted to say something, but hesitated. A flash of movement and she was kissing him. “Fly safe.” She handed him his helmet.

“Love you.” The words were breathy and said without thought, simply emotion.

She smiled slightly, worry still in her eyes. The sooner this job was over the better.

He turned and headed towards his ‘bird.

-o-o-o-

The tactic worked as expected. Starting at the bottom, Thunderbird Two deployed her laser at specified intervals, piercing the building to its core, creating a method of entry for hundreds of small firebots. Preprogrammed to hunt for the source of fires, Brains’ little inventions took out the fire level by level. This was backed up by strategic deployment of the suppressant grenades and topical use of the harmonics to catch surface fires. Alan and Kayo spotted flares before they could take root and as the team rose higher and higher, the flame lessened. By the time International Rescue declared the fire defeated, the skyscraper was an unsalvageable wreck, but it wasn’t going to fall on anyone, and the fire was out.

Virgil recalled those bots that had survived and gave the order to head home.

Thank god.

Gordon was still eyeing him with worried eyes.

He didn’t blame him. Virgil couldn’t seem to get a good breath without hurting. Something wasn’t right. The moment he was able to set the course across the Pacific, he switched TB2 to auto and lay back, closing his eyes.

“Virg?”

“I’m okay, Gordon.”

“No, you’re not. You’re panting while sitting still.”

“I just need to take a breather.”

“Sick pun, bro.”

Virgil forced a smile. “You would know.” A deep breath and he tried not to grimace. “I’ll speak to Em when we get home.”

“Now I know something is wrong.”

“Quit worrying.”

“Quit scaring me.”

Virgil frowned and opened his eyes, turning to his brother. Those eyes, so similar to his own, were staring at him, and yes, there was fear. “Do I really look that bad?”

“I’m on the verge of locking you out of Two’s controls.”

Virgil glared at him. “Just try it, kid.”

“I will do what is necessary, big brother.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re as pale as a corpse.”

Virgil didn’t have an answer to that. “Fine, whatever. Take control. See if I care. I’ll go and check on Brains.” He pushed his seat back and forced himself to stand, clutching at the headrest when his world suddenly spun. Shit.

“Virgil!”

“I’m...I’m...” But suddenly he couldn’t breathe. Not enough oxygen. He couldn’t...He gasped desperate for air, but none came.

His legs gave out, hands caught him, lowering him gently to the deck. “Virgil, c’mon, man, don't do this.”

His hand flailed and caught uniform. He wanted to reassure his brother, but he couldn’t draw breath. He was gaping like a fish out of water. “I...c-“

“Virgil!”

But there was no oxygen and he was suffocating. Panic rose, he struggled, eyesight narrowing as his brain desperately tried to function on nothing.

“Goddamnit, Virgil! Don’t do this!”

He couldn’t stop it. There was nothing he could do. No matter what he did, his body shut down system by system, his lungs failing to do what they needed to do.

The last he saw was a pair of frightened brown eyes and a mouth yelling his name.

-o-o-o-

End Part Twelve.

Part Thirteen

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #virgil tracy #scott tracy #kayo kyrano #virgil/kayo #scott/em #scott/oc #warm rain #gentle rain